Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 February 2013
631. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health when he expects to publish both the preliminary document and the white paper of universal health insurance; the consultation processes he has planned on both these documents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6653/13]
View answerThe Government is embarking on a major reform programme for the health system, the aim of which is to deliver a single-tier health service, supported by universal health insurance (UHI), where access is based on need, not on income. Under UHI, everyone will be insured and will have equal access to a standard package of primary and acute hospital services, including acute mental health services. A new Insurance Fund will subsidise or pay insurance premiums for those who qualify for a subsidy.
The Department is preparing a White Paper on Universal Health Insurance which will provide further detail on the UHI model for Ireland in addition to the estimated costs and financing mechanisms associated with the introduction of universal health insurance. The work involved is both complex and technical, necessitating significant research and financial modelling to support analysis and costing of different design options. This, in turn, demands a wide-range of specialised expertise. The Department is engaged in a process to ensure the provision of this expertise to feed into work on the preparation of the White Paper during 2013. The White Paper will be published as early as possible within the Government’s term of office.
In advance of the White Paper, my Department has produced a Preliminary Paper on UHI, which I intend to publish shortly.
The reform programme is a major undertaking that requires careful planning and sequencing over a number of years. The Programme for Government acknowledges that full implementation of UHI will take some time to achieve. Future Health: A Strategic Framework for Reform of the Health Service 2012-2015 highlights the importance of a step-by-step evidence-based approach to achieving an effective, equitable and efficient system and sets out key actions to systematically deliver on reform. It is anticipated that by 2016 the necessary groundwork will be in place to enable us to phase in implementation of UHI, as promised in the Programme for Government.
It is my intention to consult widely on the reform implementation process, including the White Paper on Universal Health Insurance, when published. I have already commenced this process. For example, in the two weeks following the launch of Future Health,I met with some 1,500 local clinical and administrative staff and management as well as regional health forums at fourteen different events across the four HSE regions.
